Driving

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I put this topic in this section of the forum because I don't think this is strictly autism-related.

I'm learning to drive and I've been having some problems that I didn't expect.

- "Zoning out". I'm driving along and I sort of become hypnotized, even in places that aren't typically hypnotic, like residential areas and intersections. My eyes stare straight ahead and I struggle to think about what's going on around me. Everything becomes sort of dream-like and unreal. I'm prone to derealization and depersonalization, so I think this is an extension of that. If this happens to me when I'm not driving, my instinct is to "disconnect" completely. If I were to do that while driving, it would be at great risk to myself and other driver's, because it becomes very hard to get my attention while I'm in that phase. This freaks me out the most.
- Panic attack. Strangely enough, this is actually the easiest thing for me to deal with. I focus on the road and the attack goes away before it has a chance to get really bad.
- Tics. Fidgeting, neck jerking, head shaking, hand flapping, shoulder shrugging, a little noise that sounds like "tht", and a number of other things make it difficult to concentrate. The tics are often accompanied by a pinching or poking sensation, which is ultimately more distracting than the tic itself.
- Directional sense. No, seriously. I can't tell left from right. I'll get my car positioned in the wrong lane. It's pretty embarassing, not to mention inconvenient when it comes to following directions.
- Attentional problems. This is probably the most obvious one. I can't seem to focus on lane position, speed, road conditions, signs, and the cars behind me, all at the same time. I drift back and forth in my lane, my speed fluctuates up and down, and I get pretty nervous about hitting something.

I get very anxious before driving because I'm afraid of hitting someone or something, and I know it's a very real possibility. Can anyone relate, or does anyone have suggestions to improve these problems? Any and all answers will be appreciated.

I don't have any advice unfortunately, but I have every single one of those problems too. I'm always terrified to drive, but everyone says I do just fine and I've been driving for 2 years without any accidents or tickets or anything. I guess I do ok without consciously thinking about it. The left/right thing is really hard for me too, I'm always terrified I'm going to end up going the wrong way down a one-way street. There are just too many things to pay attention to at once when driving. I just listen to my music really loud, sing along, and rock to try to keep myself calm. It sucks. The minute I have a decent paying job I'm hiring a driver.

Hmm...

I've done truck driving and when pushing to hard have felt the onset of weird hypnotic like symptoms. Note: I do pull over right away that's nothing to mess with.

But maybe the OP needs an exercise to focus. Oddly enough I find talking can help. Even while alone or especially alone. Follow the lyrics to a song. Or verbally argue with a commentator on talk radio. I've even practiced German lessons I'm doing.

Or maybe talk out load about what you're doing at the moment in traffic or where you are going. See if your brain is more alert instead of zoning out.

I'm learning to drive too, zoning out is one of my biggest problems its very easy to do but I can snap out of pretty quickly though. I don't know if you have it in the States but have you tried Rescue Remedy? My buddy suggested it to me and I take it about half an hour before I go for a drive, it really helps my anxiety. Also having music playing helps me concentrate and seems to keep me from zoning out some of the time

Thanks everyone for the responses!

@Megz - It's good to know I'm not alone in this. The idea of hiring a driver sounds good to me, except that one day I would like to live in an RV (my dream job is parapsychologist, but it doesn't pay very well and it's easier if one doesn't have to pay rent). I'm intent on going for a drive today, so I'll just start with the music on and see if that helps. Thanks!

@VIDEODROME - I have at one time pulled over because of hypnotic symptoms (I almost sped right over the curb, so I'm glad I chose to take a break!). It sounds like a good idea to me, but what's the best way to explain this to my driving instructor? My driving instructor doesn't know that I have any type of disability (neither myself or my mom have told him).

@Opeth - Thanks! I'll look into Rescue Remedy; I hadn't heard of it before you mentioned it.

Careful with the Rescue Remedy, I think it is alcohol based so you don't want to risk DUI.

My suggestion is to try this technique - commentary driving. It takes some time to master but soon the process happens quietly in your head.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbV-oYBXojI[/youtube]

I'm not entirely sure, but I think there's a version that's non-alcoholic. Like what I'm thinking right now is that there's a spray version and a dropper version, and one of them's alcoholic and one of them's not. I need to look into that for school anyway, my government class nearly gave me a panic attack today

I take a medication that makes me a terrible driver. I lose focus and often swerve when I don't mean to. It sucks because I used to be a very good driver. (PS, the medication is Risperidal)

Hopefully in the near future this will all be a moot point for most of you when GPS self driven cars become a part of life on the highway.

yes, please

I've never tried the dropper one or the spray, I've only ever had the pastilles. They are alcohol free + sugar free.

Would wearing a wristband or simply a plain coloured thread of wool on one wrist help you with that? I've heard tales of driving instructors doing that to those who are hopeless at telling left and right apart. You'd want to make it red - right or whatever association works for you.

Thanks for the info on the pastilles, I didn't know they existed. I have checked my dropper bottle and it does contain grape alcohol solution.

No problem, ha I think I will be staying away from the dropper version. That commentary technique looks really useful.

I quite driving a few years ago.. I only drive when I have to... Once every few years is too much.

Most of the time I don't have any issues. But I too can all of a sudden start staring and my mind is full of thick molasses. Once it sets in, it take hours to go away.
It is most common to start when I'm at a red light or waiting for traffic at a stop sign.

I can also have hallucinations and it is dangerous if someone is following to close.. In 1984 there was a horrible wreck, two teenagers died.. I keep seeing a shoe or jacket laying in the road.. Worse than any horror movie..

In the last twenty years, I have always lived where I could walk or bike everywhere.

Driving can also cause too much stress and overload me, too.

Bicycling seems to reduce all those problems. In 6 years, i have only had one hallucination biking to work. Once I go in to a zone, and get going again my mind clears quickly. Stress is usually much lower, but motorist acting like idiots can quickly set me off. If I can see it coming and focus on pedaling, it can reduce the affect.

Most people think I bicycle to save money.. Ha, I have over $25,000 in my bikes...
A ten mile ride home on non-motorized trails is better than any pill could ever be.

When I was learning to drive the instructor had installed blisters by the wheel, indicating left with an L in the one side and R with and are in the other side.So in case I got confused I could always refer to those to discrete letters. It helped a lot!